VMware Tools for Windows Guests

The detailed steps for installing VMware Tools depend on the version of Windows you are running. The steps that follow show how to install VMware Tools in a Windows XP guest. Some steps that are automated in newer versions of Windows must be performed manually in Windows 9x and Windows NT.

Note: If you are running VMware Workstation on a Windows host and your virtual machine has only one CD-ROM drive, the CD-ROM drive must be configured as an IDE or SCSI CD-ROM drive. It cannot be configured as a generic SCSI device.

Installing VMware Tools in a Windows Guest Operating System

Note: You must log on to a Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 or Longhorn guest operating system as an administrator in order to install VMware Tools. Any user can install VMware Tools in a Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me guest operating system.

3. If you have autorun enabled in your guest operating system (the default setting for Windows operating systems), a dialog box appears after a few seconds. It asks if you want to install VMware Tools. Click Yes to launch the InstallShield wizard.

If autorun is not enabled, the dialog box does not appear automatically. If it doesn't appear, run the VMware Tools installer. Click Start > Run and enter D:\setup\setup.exe where D: is your first virtual CD-ROM drive.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

On Windows Server 2003, Windows Me, Windows 98 SE and Windows 98 guests, the SVGA driver is installed automatically and the guest operating system uses it after it reboots.

With Windows 2000 and Windows XP guests, you do not have to reboot to use the new driver.